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REPORT 



OF 



YVtt 



THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE, 



APPOINTED BY 



THE GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL 



TO EXAMINE INTO THE 



CONDITION OF THE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, 



&c, &c, 



TO THE LEG-ISLATIJRE, 



JUNE SESSION, 1877. 



CONCORD: 

EDWARD A. JENKS, STATE PRINTER. 

1877. 






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♦?~| At 



OCT 1905 
D. of 0, 



• • • 









REPORT. 



To the Legislature : 

Your committee, appointed tinder the act of July 20, 1876, 
" to examine into the condition of the normal school, the course 
of study pursued therein, its system of management, and its 
financial condition, and report to the next session of the legis- 
lature," having attended to their duty, respectfully report : 

That what is known as the normal school property consists 
of the old academy brick building, enlarged so that the whole 
is now three stories high and 50 by 80 feet on the ground. 
Entering the building by the front way, we were greeted with 
odors of a character that enabled us to discover their source 
without much investigation. To the right, and leading out of 
the main entrance, are the stairs down to the gents' water- 
closets ; to the left, those designed for the ladies — both directly 
under the front hall. From the vaults a flat-bottomed drain 
leads to the river ; but as all the water for cleansing purposes 
comes in a lead pipe from one well above the building, and as 
the pipe is frozen up and inoperative a large part of the win- 
ter, the benefit derived from such a source is about what might 
naturally be expected. To one at all mindful of health and 
comfort, diphtheria, fever, and kindred diseases would suggest 
themselves ; and we could hardly see how teachers and pupils 
could get through the year in such an atmosphere, unless it 
were, as the principal informed us, " by keeping mad all the 
time.". But we were assured that this nuisance was not longer 
to be tolerated, and that an architect was on the ground with 
a view to its removal before the next term ; and that the ap- 
proaches to the ladies' closets would be concealed from the 
gaze of the curious or impudent ones of the other sex. 



In the basement are two furnaces, both worthless except as 
the brick of which they are constructed may be of value. One 
was operated a while before it gave out, and the other never 
was good for anything. The basement is not under the whole 
structure, and the walls of the new part of the building are of 
single brick, wired to a frame. As now constructed, the build- 
ing contains seven recitation rooms ; two quite small rooms, in 
which are stored a valuable cabinet of New Hampshire rock, 
and a small though select and useful library of about 500 vol- 
umes. In the third story is a hall over the whole building, 
warmed by a single stove standing in one corner. All the 
rooms are heated by stoves. The apparatus is in one of the 
recitation-rooms, in very good condition, and apparently well 
protected. Possibly in this connection we may be allowed to 
suggest that in the architectural design, work, and appurte- 
nances of this building, doubtless some mistakes were made 
and blunders committed, — as is frequently the case in new enter- 
prises of this and a similar character, where the labor is all 
performed at arm's-length, and under the immediate supervision 
of one intent on his five dollars per day;* and had not the 
building committee, in their report of 1873 (page 11), affirmed 
that, in their opinion, all the money had "been expended in 
an economical and prudent manner," we might have been in- 
clined to doubt that such was the case in every instance. 

About four rods above the school building is the boarding- 
house, an ancient though comfortable structure, capable of 
accommodating thirty-five boarders, a family, and servants. 
Attached to the house, or rather to the wood-shed adjoining 
the house, is a small barn, recently built by the trustees of 
the school to take the place of an old one. These build- 
ings, with their furnishings, appointments, and about two 
acres of the best land in Plymouth village, upon which they 
are located, comprise the normal school property, so-called. 
The buildings are insured in the Prescott, Fireman's, Girard, 
and People's companies, to the amount of $15,700. Library, 
other personal property, and apparatus not insured. 

*We were informed that the building committee of the trustees employed Mr. Dunn, of 
Littleton, to superintend construction, who received for his services $5 a day. 



5 

To pay for all this property, the town of Plymouth 

gave $10,000 

District No. 2 in Plymouth 7,000 

The Boston, Concord & Montreal Railroad 4,000 

Residents of Plymouth 1,100 

State of New Hampshire 13,000 

Amounting to $35,100 

Of the $20,000 appropriated by the state at various times for 
current expenses of the school, $1,000 went into what is termed 
permanent investments, making the original cost of the prop- 
erty a little over $36,000. Out of said $20,000, $3,224 was 
used in making repairs, so that only $15,776 of that $20,000 
was expended in school expenses proper from the date of the 
first appropriation for that purpose (July 3, 1873) until now. 
Otherwise, the institution has been self-supporting, deriving its 
funds from tuition, money received for services of its teachers 
at institutes, etc. 

That the legislature may fully understand the situation of the 
school matters, we have to say that the town of Plymouth, with 
a view to the establishing of a normal school in their midst, 
purchased the premises above described of one Burnham, for 
$10,000, intending to convey the same to the state, which was 
done Feb. 6, 1871, by Joseph Burrows, Jonathan H.Johnson, 
and Joseph A. Dodge, acting for and on behalf of said town, 
said deed conveying the boarding-house lot, so called, also the 
academy lot, bell, cabinet, furniture, apparatus, and all the per- 
sonal property in and about said premises, which was formerly 
used and owned in connection with the academy, reserving any 
right of way which James McQuesten might establish across 
said last-mentioned parcel, with the following provisos : 

(1) That the grantees herein named establish and maintain 
a state Normal School in said Plymouth village, and shall ob- 
serve and fully comply with and carry out the following condi- 
tions, viz. : In connection with said normal school said state 
shall establish and maintain a model school, in which shall be 
taught all the English branches of study usual in village high 
schools, at which all the scholars of district No. Two in said 



Plymouth may attend free of tuition, provided the ordinary 
school money of said district No. Two is appropriated to the 
support of said school. (2) That if any district school in said 
Plymouth shall be graded, the state shall permit the scholars 
of the higher department of such graded district school to at- 
tend said model school free of tuition, provided such district 
shall appropriate one half of its ordinary school money to the 
support of said model school. (3) That if at the expiration 
of five years, or at any time, the state fails to comply with any 
of the conditions herein contained, said buildings and grounds 
shall revert to and reinvest in said town of Plymouth, in as good 
condition as they are at the time they pass into possession of 
said grantees, reasonable use, wear, and depreciation excepted ; 
and in case said district No. Two shall raise and pay over to 
said normal and model schools, or to the trustees thereof for 
the use of said schools, the sum of $5,000, and if $4,000 thereof 
shall be invested in real estate, by enlarging and repairing the 
buildings and grounds on said premises, then, in case the above 
premises revert to said town of Plymouth, by reason of the 
non-compliance with the conditions herein contained, by said 
grantees, said district No. Two shall own an interest in said 
premises in proportion of four for said district and ten for said 
town.* (4) Also provided that said buildings shall be kept 
insured against loss or damage by fire in the sum of not less 
than $10,000, or in such reasonable sums as can be obtained in 
good and reliable insurance companies, at the expense of the 
grantees, for the benefit of the town of Plymouth, in case the 
premises revert as aforesaid ; and provided no further contribu- 
tion shall be required of said town for the establishment and 
maintenance of said State Normal School. 

We also deem it essential to lay before you the contract be- 
tween the trustees of the normal school and school district No. 
Two in Plymouth : The trustees of the State Normal School 
of New Hampshire, located at Plymouth in said state, in their 
said capacity, and their successors of the one part, and school 



* It will be noticed, that under this condition, the state has no right in the property com- 
prising the normal school estate, in case of reversion or removal of the institution. 



district No. Two in said Plymouth, of the other part, on this 
20th day of February, 1871, agree as follows : The said trustees 
and their successors, that in consideration of the promises and 
agreements hereinafter expressed on the part of said district, 
they will locate and establish the State Normal School, under 
the act of the legislature of said state, passed at the June session, 
1870, entitled "An act for the establishment of a normal school," 
and any subsequent legislation in relation thereto, in Plymouth 
village, and establish and maintain in connection therewith a 
good and efficient model school, free to all the scholars of said 
district, which shall take the place of the common district 
school in said district, and that they will permit all the pupils 
of said district to attend the model school free from any charge 
for tuition ; and that said trustees and their successors do here- 
by accept of the moneys and other good and valuable consid- 
erations, on the part of said district, upon the terms and condi- 
tions hereinafter written. And the said district, in consideration 
of the aforesaid promises and agreements on the part of said 
trustees, hereby agrees with said trustees and their successors 
that it will raise and appropriate and pay to said trustees and 
their successors the sum of $7,000, to be invested in lands, 
buildings, school apparatus, and personal property necessary 
for the use of the normal and model schools aforesaid ; and 
further, that said district shall and will pay all its school 
money (meaning hereby the amount which it is required to 
raise by the existing laws of this state when such money shall 
be raised) , to be a sum in no case less than $600 per year, to 
said trustees and their successors, the use of the district school- 
house for the purpose of said model school and of said normal 
school, subject to the use of the model school for a period not 
exceeding two years from the time such location shall be made, 
if so much time shall be required to prepare suitable buildings, 
fixtures, and furniture for the normal and model schools afore- 
said. And it is further mutually agreed between the parties 
that all property of the normal and model schools shall be kept 
properly insured against loss and damage by fire, by said trus- 
tees and their successors, at the expense of the state ; and that 
the interest of the district therein hereafter specified shall revert 



8 

and reinvest in the district when the conditions of the agree- 
ment are not complied with on the part of said trustees and 
their successors, or when the normal or model school ceases to 
exist, or shall be removed from said Plymouth ; and that at 
least $4,000 of said $7,000 shall be invested in real estate, as 
called for at the discretion of the trustees, and as the wants of 
the institution require. And said interest of the district, in 
case it shall revert and reinvest as aforesaid, shall be that pro- 
portion of each species of property so reverting which shall 
have been purchased by said $7,000, or any part thereof. 

By referring to chapter 5, section 2, page 16, Pamphlet 
Laws of 1872, it will be seen that another very important 
paper is provided for, namely, a "valid agreement" between 
the town of Plymouth and the state. The following is a copy 
of said " valid agreement," which is on file in the office of the 
secretary of state : 

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, 

That the town of Plymouth, in the county of Grafton, by Jo- 
seph A. Dodge, Daniel H. Currier, and Lucius M. Howe, all 
of said Plymouth, a committee duly chosen and authorized at 
a legal meeting of said town of Plymouth, holden on 
the 20th day of July, a. d. 1872, for the purpose 
hereinafter specified, in consideration of the sum of 
eight thousand dollars appropriated by the legislature 
of the state of New Hampshire at its June session, a. 
d. 1872, upon condition that the town of Plymouth 
enter into a valid agreement with the state that 
should the normal school cease to exist in said town 
the state shall be entitled to an interest in the real estate con- 
veyed by said town to the trustees for the normal school, and 
the improvements thereof, bearing the same proportion to the 
whole of said real estate and improvements as the several sums 
appropriated by the state and expended upon said real estate 
shall bear to the whole amount derived from all sources expend- 
ed for the purchase and improvements of said real estate ; and 
whereas said town of Plymouth, at said town-meeting, holden 
as aforesaid, voted to accept said appropriation upon said con- 
ditions ; and in consideration thereof said town does hereby sell, 
grant, and convey to the state of New Hampshire, should said 
normal school cease to exist in said town of Plymouth, an inter- 
est in said real estate conveyed by said town to the trustees for 



U.S. 
Revenue 

(•So) 
Stamp. 



the normal school, and the improvements thereof, bearing the 
same proportion to the whole of said real estate and improve- 
ments as the several sums appropriated by the state and ex- 
pended upon said real estate shall bear to the whole amount 
derived from all sources expended for the purchase and im- 
provements of said real estate, to have and to hold the same 
with all the privileges and appurtenances to said estate forever, 
if said normal school ceases to exist in said town. In witness 
whereof the said town of Plymouth, by its said committee, 
Joseph A. Dodge, Daniel H. Currier, and Lucius M. Howe, 
has set its hand and seal this thirtieth day of July, 1872. 
Signed, sealed, and delivered in presence of 

C. M. Whittier, 

Clark J. Brown, 

Joseph Burrows, 

Daniel W. Burrows. 

Town of Plymouth, 



Seal. 



By J. A. Dodge, \ Committee 

D. H. Currier, > of 

Lucius M. Howe, j said Plymouth. 

Grafton ss., July 30, 1872. 

Then said town of Plymouth, by its committee, Joseph A. 
Dodge, Daniel H. Currier, and Lucius M. Howe, personally 
appeared and acknowledged the above instrument to be its free 
act. 

Before me, Daniel W. Burrows, Justice of the Peace. 

Under these agreements there have come to be the model 
school, the preparatory school, and the normal school, all in 
the same building. The first, as will be seen from the con- 
tract between district number two and the trustees of the nor- 
mal school, contains the scholars of said district. They occupy 
two rooms. The district has paid into the normal school fund, 
from 1 87 1 to 1877 inclusive, about $4,080 ; being the amount 
of school money said district was by law compelled to raise for 
these seven years. Whole number of scholars attending model 
school first year, 77; during the last year, 134. The money 
received from the district pays two teachers for the model 
school ; said school consisting of only two departments, — the 
primary and grammar. 

The preparatory department registered 47 names in all last 
year, and is a sort of middle ground between the other two 
schools, being made up of the advanced scholars of the model 



10 

school, and of those of the normal school who are hardly up to 
the standard required for admission to that department. The 
pupils here pay tuition, and make the school, as we were in- 
formed, self-supporting. Prof. Kelsey is of opinion, and ad- 
duced good reasons for his belief, that something of this kind, 
with a limited number of scholars, should be connected with 
every normal school, so that the normal pupils might learn the 
art of teaching in very deed, by being compelled to instruct 
classes in the preparatory school under the supervision of a 
critic teacher, and thus bring practice and theory together. 
This department has only one teacher besides those furnished 
from the normal pupils, and nearly the same studies are pur- 
sued here as in the normal school, with the exception that Latin 
is here taught as far as Cassar. 

The normal school proper for the last year numbered 95 pu- 
pils, 43 of whom graduated at the last term. Under its present 
management we are confident that the aim of the founders of 
the institution to make this a place where the science of teach- 
ing is taught, is being carried out. 

This department has graduated 214 in both courses, for there 
are two, the one course extending through only one year, the 
other two years, and pupils graduate at the termination of 
either course. As we understand it, there are no provisions, 
practices, or rules whereby scholars can graduate except at the 
close of the year. Some schools of this character graduate a 
class every term, and if a scholar is kept out by sickness, or for 
any other cause, it does not put him back a full year. It can- 
not be expected that those taking only the first course are so 
well fitted to teach as are they who have studied two years. 
We herewith submit a list of the branches of study for each 
course : 

FALL TERM. 

First Course. Second Course. 

Arithmetic, to Percentage. Arithmetic, Advanced. 

Geography, General, and of N. H. Grammatical Analysis. 
Natural Philosophy, commenced. Algebra, continued. 
Reading. Constitution of N. H. and U. S. 

Penmanship. Geometry, commenced. 

Spelling. 



II 



WINTER TERM. 



First Course. 

Arithmetic, completed. 
Physiology. 
Book-keeping. 
Grammar, commenced. 
Spelling and Rules. 



Second Course. 

Geometry, continued. 
Natural Philosophy, completed. 
Physical Geography. 
Chemistry and Practice. 



SPRING TERM. 



First Course. 

Grammatical Analysis. 
Algebra, commenced. 
History, U. S. 

Theory and Practice of Teaching. 
Spelling and Composition. 
School Laws of N. H. 



Second Course. 



General Reviews. 

Mineralogy. 

Astronomy. 

Theory and Practice of Teaching. 

School Laws of N. H. 



Reference to chapter 81, section 5, page 169, General Stat- 
utes, and to section 5, page 16, Pamphlet Laws of 1872, will 
show that this list of studies may be within the spirit of the 
law regulating what studies shall be pursued in said school. 
To a great extent the matter is where it ought to be, — within 
the discretion of the principal. 

Applicants for admission to the normal school are to present 
certificates of good character from responsible parties of their 
locality, and pass satisfactory examination by the principal 
and state superintendent, — the gentlemen to be at least 17 
and the ladies 16 years old. At the close of their course they 
are compelled to a rigid examination by the state superintend- 
ent and other gentlemen (last term Prof. Knight), before li- 
censes to teach will be granted them. This examination is no 
form or idle ceremony, for each student is thoroughly cat- 
echised as to fitness and qualifications to teach. The school 
has three terms a year, of ten weeks each. Fall term begins 
second Wednesday in September; winter term begins first 
Wednesday in December ; spring term begins last Wednesday 
in February. 

Seven teachers are employed, and are under the direction of 
the principal, who nominates them, stating the prices to be 
paid them ; and a committee of the trustees, chosen for this 



12 

part of the business, confirm or reject — as they deem best — the 
nominations. The object is, to obtain teachers who themselves 
have had the benefit of normal instruction. Four days out of 
the week the pupils are taken to the hall, where, in appropriate 
habit and under a proper instructor, they are exercised forty 
minutes in gymnastics and calisthenics. So far these exercises 
have been voluntary ; hereafter they are to be compulsory. 

The entire management of the school is in the hands of fifteen 
trustees, appointed by the governor, and so apportioned that 
not less than one nor more than two shall be from each county 
in the state. The compensation of these fifteen men is in no 
case to exceed $300 annually. For this amount they are to 
look after the finances, see to the construction of proper build- 
ings, that those built are suitably repaired, that the right kind 
and requisite number of teachers are employed, a visiting com- 
mittee appointed, and in attendance, prescribe the course of 
study, purchase apparatus, and have the oversight of the thou- 
sand and one things necessary to be done in such a school. 
Were it not for the fact that the Boston, Concord & Montreal 
Railroad kindly favors them in regard to fare over the road, 
many of the trustees would doubtless have but little of their 
twenty dollars left at the close of the year. 

The act of July 2, 1870, section 5, establishing a normal 
school, provided that it should be u maintained without expense 
to the state," except the $300 to the trustees, the legislature 
contemplating, we suppose, that sufficient revenue would be 
derived from tuitions to make the institution self-supporting. 
By the act of July 3, 1875, section 1, "tuition and graduation 
in the State Normal School shall be free to all those completing 
either or both of its prescribed courses of study, upon condi- 
tion that they shall, in consideration thereof, agree to teach in 
the schools of this state for a period equal to the time of said 
courses of study completed." These two sections of the stat- 
utes, so antagonistic in their provisions, are harmonized by ap- 
propriations of the legislature of sufficient funds, with those 
derived from other sources, to carry on the school. 

The amount received for tuition, exclusive of what has been 
remitted under the act of 1875, is about $9,700, and for services 
of normal school teachers at institutes, about $1,000. The 



13 • 

boarding-house account about balances. The trustees rent this 
for a certain amount each year, prescribing rates of board, and 
in this way are enabled to regulate the price of board for pupils 
throughout the village, a matter of no small importance to those 
attending school. 

The whole receipts of the school, from every 

source to date, are $63,793-3° 

, Whole expenses and disbursements 62,530.99 

Cash on hand June 1, 1877 $1,262.31 

Of this balance at least $1,000 is needed in making necessary 
repairs ; and, if proper heating apparatus is secured, a much 
larger sum will be necessary. 

We were not disappointed in finding the treasurer's books 
straight, and his accounts, as well as his system of keeping 
them, correct. Mr. Whittier has done a large amount of work 
without compensation, and has done it well. He has vouchers 
for all moneys paid out. It has been no part of his business to 
audit, or in any manner pass upon accounts, only to see that 
they were correctly cast, and then pay the money. Mr. Dunn, 
the architect, audited his own bills, both for labor performed 
and materials furnished. While your committee might doubt 
very seriously the wisdom and economy of all the expenditures, 
they find no evidence that a single dollar has been turned aside 
from the purposes for which the legislature appropriated it. 

This, gentlemen of the legislature, about completes the work, 
so far as we are able, required of us by the resolution under 
which we have acted. Still we may be pardoned for stating 
some things, and making a few suggestions, which do not per- 
haps come strictly within the scope of the resolution. 

The normal school is in want of more room — more for the 
cabinet and more for the library ; a toilet-room for the ladies? 
where they can lay off their outer wrappings, and have a place 
by themselves to change their apparel before engaging in calis- 
thenic exercises ; also a natural history room, where the people 
throughout the state can rest assured their gifts of value and 
interest will be safely protected. 

We were informed that some arrangement is now in prospect 



14 

whereby the school district of Plymouth is to be separated from 
the normal school ; and that committees on the part of the dis- 
trict and on the part of the trustees of the normal school have 
been appointed to devise some means of separation satisfactory 
to both parties. When this is done, as it doubtless must be 
in some manner, and the sooner the better, with some slight 
changes in the rooms there will be ample accommodations for 
the normal school proper. 

It is also for the legislature to consider whether the number 
of trustees is not so large as to be unwieldy ; whether it is 
economical to compel men to come from every part of the state 
to superintend repairs of slight consequence, when the prin- 
cipal of the school could attend to the matter just as well ; 
whether it is best that there should be committees for one thing 
and another appertaining to the running of the school, when 
once a competent head of the school is secured, — in fact, 
whether or not the greater part of the management of the in- 
stitution could not be as safely entrusted to one-man power, 
located on the ground, as to men scattered from Colebrook to 
Portsmouth ; and whether, when the schools are separated, it 
would not be better for the normal school to know at the be- 
ginning of the year the amount of aid it is going to receive 
from the state, rather than go on through the year, hesitating, 
and ignorant of how much help, if any, it is to have. 

We do not at this day, when so much money and effort is 
expended in training minds for the ministry, the law, the prac- 
tice of medicine, and a hundred other callings in life, consider 
it our duty, or at all necessary, to suggest to you the benefits 
accruing to the state from a normal school properly managed ; 
nor shall we enter upon any argument to convince members of 
the legislature of what their good sense and better judgment 
must have already made clear to them, — that those having in 
charge the shaping and molding of their children's characters 
cannot be too well fitted for that delicate and most responsible 
task, — nor to convince this honorable body of the necessity and 
exceeding propriety of a generous annual appropriation to the 
school for this end. 

It has not been thought best to incorporate into this report 



15 

much of the matter appearing from year to year in the trustees' 
reports of the normal school, nor the acts of the legislature in 
reference to the school, as the reports themselves and the stat- 
utes are accessible to the members of either house. 

Respectfully submitted. 

C. B. JORDAN, 
S. L. BLAKE, 
E. P. JEWELL, 
June i, 1877. Committee. 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS % 

022 152 544 9 



